Docstoc has taken a page out of YouSendIt’s book by releasing a desktop applet for sending documents to others via email without having to worry about size restrictions.
The Windows-only OneClick app enables users to right click on certain file types (Word, PDF, Excel, etc.) and choose to email them via Docstoc. The files will begin uploading to the startup’s servers in the background while an email composition window opens with pre-generated links to them. Recipients simply need to click these links to begin viewing or downloading the files, which can be up to 50mb in size and set as either public or private on Docstoc.
OneClick’s restrictions on file types and sizes mean that it will compete only minimally with more focused online file transfer services. But it does have the advantage of unlimited and indefinite storage, as well as background uploading (there’s no need to wait for uploads to finish before sending your email). At the very least, it’s a clever move to encourage more content contribution to Docstoc. As with Scribd and other UGC destinations, content is king - what else is Google going to index?
See a related announcement by Scribd from just last week that enables onsite previewing of email attachments.
Uploading in the background indeed is a clever feature but are the uploaded files going to be publicly available for indexing and other access. That doesn’t make sense for me, at least not as a personal file transfer service.
Finally, the right implementation for this! Scribd should be kicking itself in the butt about how a startup such as this one can upstage them! I just tried it and it works flawlessly! The files (to answer #1, question) can be either private or public. Private files are not visible to anyone without the link itself. And the best thing is that my receipients only get one email with the link and not two emails (one with the attachment and one with the link) as with Scribd.
This just goes to show that actually thinking out a feature is still important and making sure that the interaction with the user is simple, smart, and non-confusing, is crucial to the correct implementation.
Nice job Docstoc!
@WooHoo thanks for the cclarification
I almost interviewed with them. Great company.
Good luck with the new service Alon!
Not a competitor to YouSend-it until they support files other than Microsoft office documents. Too bad too, because yousendit sucks.
Nice feature. Good job guys.
Lets see if they are smart enough to come up with resumable upload feature (available in Yousendit for windows/mac). Without it, uploading files over 10MB will be a frustrating experience.
Seems they would be better off if they made this into browser plugins. A firefox, ie and safari extension that adds a “Attach document” button to Hotmail, Yahoo Mail and GMail seamlessly would seem to have more mass appeal.
whoohoo for docstoc….a superior resource to replace 60 percent of your legal needs, the next 30 percent to legal zoom and the final 10 percent you actually may have to pay a lawyer for.
yipee for docstoc….a superior resource to replace 60 percent of your legal needs, the next 30 percent to legal zoom and the final 10 percent you actually may have to pay a lawyer for.
WooHoo thanks
Interesting this space seems so active. I had commented on a post on Yousendit just a day or two ago and here is yet another way to send files.
I believe that the market is going to segment by folks that have communities - like scribd, slideshare, flickr etc and then companies that let you do more with your files as opposed to just one thing.
I want a one stop shop, for my big files and little files, for my media, and for my documents. I am getting tired on having my files all over the place. Mozy, Photobucket, Yousendit …
I think we will see players emerge that will do it all, a suite. MobileMe may be one of them, There integration with Outlook seems cool. And on the start-up front the new-comers http://getdropbox.com and http://zecter.com seem to have the most promise - offering - sync, sharing, tracking, and viewing for all types of files. They still need to add some polish but I just cant wait. I am not quite ready to fork over $99 to Apple yet.
I have to agree with USMLE…Until there is integration with webmail and browsers not to mention Open office, Abiword and others…OneClick will meet with limited success
Mark:
I like your thoughts of a consolidated service for all my needs. I have tried out dropbox and it still needs a lot of work. I signed up for the Zecter Beta but haven’t received my invite code. Could you invite me if you can. sheila.stone81 at gmail.
Sheila